Hafizh Syahrin Crowned 2025 ASB1000 Champion

The Malaysian rider seals the title by just three points as Nakarin wins Race 2, wrapping up a thrilling end to the 2025 Asia Road Racing Championship season.

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The final round of the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) 2025 at Chang International Circuit, Buriram, Thailand, concluded with a dramatic Race 2 in the ASB1000 class, one that sealed Hafizh Syahrin’s championship triumph with JDT Racing Team aboard the Ducati V4R.

Coming into the weekend with strong momentum, Hafizh won Race 1 on Saturday (December 6), pushing him to the top of the standings with 173 points. In Race 2 on Sunday, Thailand’s Nakarin Atiratphuvapat of Honda Racing Thailand delivered a dominant victory as he chased the championship title. However, Hafizh’s second-place finish was enough to secure the overall crown, beating Nakarin by a razor-thin three-point margin. Malaysia’s Zaqhwan Zaidi of Honda Racing Malaysia completed the podium in third.

Race 2 Recap: Nakarin Dominates, Hafizh Holds His Ground

As the lights went out, Nakarin exploded off the line, taking an early lead ahead of Keito Abe (SDG HARC-PRO Honda Philippines), Zaqhwan Zaidi, and Hafizh in fourth. Andi Farid Izdihar of ASTRA Honda Racing Team rounded out the early top five.

By Lap 3, Nakarin was firmly in control, setting the fastest lap of 1’35.911s, widening the gap from the chasing trio. He continued to push, dropping to 1’35.248s by Lap 5 and stretching his advantage to over two seconds.

Behind him, Hafizh, Zaqhwan, and Keito Abe engaged in a fierce contest for podium positions. Zaqhwan made a decisive move on Lap 11 to snatch second from Hafizh, though the battle remained tight until the final lap. Hafizh’s teammate Ryo Mizuno crossed the line in P7.

Nakarin eventually took the win with a time of 20’45.446s, but the former MotoGP rider fought back to finish second in 20’47.951s, ahead of Zaqhwan in 20’48.060s.

2025 ASB1000 Champion: Hafizh Syahrin

Despite finishing behind Nakarin in Race 2, Hafizh’s consistency throughout the season paid off. He closed the championship with 193 points, edging Nakarin’s 190. Keito Abe completed the overall top three with 170.

After sealing the title, Hafizh said: “No words can describe how I feel. Alhamdulillah, finally we did it. The hard work, the training, and everything we went through in Round 5 made us stronger to be here today. This win is for my boss, my family, the fans who always believed in me, those who doubted me, and also for my late grandmother. I am sure she is proud of me from up there.”

Nakarin, meanwhile, praised his team’s effort: “I tried to go for first position and left the riders behind me to fight. We almost achieved the championship, but we are happy with the results. Next season, we will try even harder. Thank you to everyone who supported me, and congratulations to Hafizh.”

In the team championship, Idemitsu Honda Racing Malaysia took the overall title with a commanding 303 points, followed by JDT Racing Team (201) and Honda Racing Thailand (182).

TOP 5 – RACE 2

1. Nakarin Atiratphuvapat – Honda Racing Thailand (20’45.446s)
2. Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah – JDT Racing Team (20’47.951s)
3. Muhammad Zaqhwan Zaidi – Idemitsu Honda Racing Malaysia (20’48.060s)
4. Keito Abe – SDG HARC-PRO Honda Philippines (20’48.949s)
5. Lachlan Epis – Savitar Racing Asia (21’02.639s)

TOP 5 – OVERALL RIDER STANDINGS

1. Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah – JDT Racing Team (193 pts)
2. Nakarin Atiratphuvapat – Honda Racing Thailand (190 pts)
3. Keito Abe – SDG HARC-PRO Honda Philippines (170 pts)
4. Muhammad Zaqhwan Zaidi – Idemitsu Honda Racing Malaysia (168 pts)
5. Azroy Hakeem Anuar – Idemitsu Honda Racing Malaysia (135 pts)

TOP 5 – OVERALL TEAM STANDINGS

1. Idemitsu Honda Racing Malaysia – 303 pts
2. JDT Racing Team – 201 pts
3. Honda Racing Thailand – 182 pts
4. SDG HARC-PRO Honda Philippines – 170 pts
5. A1 Energy BMW Racing Team – 133 pts